bethebrownv.board of education for gay and lesbian couples. or the case before it that embraced segregation. it's very hard to predict. it leaves many of us very, very nervous. it's not just the 120,000 couples in this country who are gay or lesbian and married but it affects all of us. we currently have a country that disenfranchises people who want to marry for love and we don't let them. 31 states prohibit those type of marriages. >> a lot of people come back to the 1960s in loving versus west virginia and whether it will mirror that merely 50 years later. the court, though, has ten marriage equality cases to choose from. as i pointed out, they only chose two. if i know this correctly, they had eight different ones to consider choosing and two prop 8 ones. they have one doma and one prop 8. >> what's fascinating, this is a court that has avoided this issue. it's been pathological. everyone in lawrence v. texas, the opinion was distorted in my ways because of a clear effort not to say anything that would have baring on the same-sex marriage issue. suddenly, they take two issues with the b

off totinabrown. she'swilling to try something new, and we all hope it will succeed. >> that's tina for you. for what it's worth, another good thing, "newsweek" daily beast is one of my favorite news websites. excellent one. >> thank you. >> we read you there, as well, and will continue to do so. andy sullivan, eleanor lift, thank you so much. >> thank you. >>> "consumer reports" said this week 132 million of us are not done shopping. oh, yeah. that cease so me. 26 million have not started. 17 million say they will shop on christmas eve. nbc's michelle franzen is at the manhattan mall in midtown manhattan. we checked in last hour. any pickup in the traffic since we saw you last? you went shopping. >> reporter: definitely a pick nextel cup the traffic and i had a few of my own last-minute purchases to get to but i'm wrapping it up. i'm in good company here at the manhattan mall in new york city, exactly where the crowds are building at this hour. also all around the country. as you mentioned, 17 million people will still be shopping between now and christmas eve. that's a pretty good

brownhasone more bite at the apple. but i do think it would be better esthetics if the next time they are going to attack a member of the administration, they actually showed they weren't fixated on black appointees. one after the other, they seem more comfortable to attack black appointe appointees. that's a big concern for people across the country. >> what about the president though? he clearly is backing susan rice. but is this a fight worth having? i mean -- >> this is a man who has won office, who is not going to be on the ballot again. he said i'm going to back the people who i think can do the best job. if you have an issue with my general because he was talking to this socialite in florida, forget about it. that's not what the war is about. let the man do the job. if rice came on and did what the cia told her to do, that's pretty much what any senator would do too. so this is a nonissue. >> i hope no one takes their eye off the ball, which is going after the people that committed this. >> that's what worries me. our country has big issues. to keep fixating on the persona

browndid,but he'll be able to run it in a pretty good field for senate for a special election. so he lost his race, but he may be getting his seat back especially when you look at the cal before candidates. >> best week and a tough week, and i agree with perot that one is the state of min has entered the 21st century and issued the first gay marriage and that's great. the first week is struggling americans, low-income americans especially. left we forget while we talk about politics and we have people unemployed who are on the verge of losing unemployment insurance because it's being you used as a political pawn and incurring payroll tax hikes in a couple of days and we have medicare and social security and those things that may be looming in february. >> blake, susan, perry, happy new year to you all. i need to leave it there. in for alex witt this weekend. i'm t.j. holmes. craig melvin will take you through the next couple of hours here on msnbc. ll app. pretty sweet, huh? cute. but don't you have any apps on your phone that can make your life easier? who do you think i am, quicken

donate $1 per month. thomastaylorbrowntweets,child hit by rock at school. lastpierre calls for more rocks at school. has full supply in head. what will be next? armed guards at daycare centers, grocery stores? he's going down the road. no one wants to travel. finally, i don't want to live in a society that requires armed guards everywhere i go. there's a name for that -- prison. be sure to follow me on twitter. in today's then and now, how japan took a western classic and made it its own on this day back in 1986 incomes nightly news air ad story about the country's obsession with beethoven's "ode to joy." >> devoted hundreds of thousands of japanese are almost obsessed with mastering music and the german lyrics. they study and practiced for months in preparation for year-end concerts. ♪ public television features a weekly program with appropriate subtitles. >> 227 years after it was written the piece as beloved as ever in may performed by a flash mob in spain. this video got 8 million views on youtube. enjoy this, everyone. i'm going to. ♪ >> amber and marcy and paul started nor